This invention relates to liquid cooling towers and more particularly to improved louver panels for such towers.
At the air inlet of a water cooling tower, louver panels are used to promote uniform air flow into the tower and to catch splashing water that has escaped from the tower. The wind and ice loads encountered by louver panels can be very large, and this has resulted in the use of substantial reinforcing structure to support prior panels. Such reinforcing structure increased the resistance of the panels to air flow and this increased the power consumed in the operation of the tower. Also the accumulation of ice on such panels during cold weather restricted or blocked air flow, and also caused a safety hazard to anyone near the tower.